Lone Wolf
Colin!
Hi, Silas. What’s up?
Meet me at the forest.
On my way.
The final bell had just rung to signal the end of the school day. After the initial introduction at the gymnasium classes had resumed as normal, but Colin had even more trouble than usual concentrating on his classwork. What kind of person has no scent and no heartbeat? Becca had said she’d try and find out more info from her dad about Mr. Sampson but it did little to ease Colin’s mind. Since becoming a werewolf, Colin was aware of everything. Hyper-aware, thanks to his superhuman senses. To not be able to sense someone felt disturbing.
On the bright side a meeting with Silas probably meant training, which meant he could duck Becca for another few hours and avoid telling her about Seattle.
“You’re making it up,” said Becca. “You’re just trying to avoid telling me what happened last night.”
Colin could tell her feelings were hurt. He could smell it. That’s the last thing he had wanted to do. He just didn’t want to recount the embarrassing affair; especially not to a person he cared so much about.
“I’m sorry, Becca. But I promise, Silas really did call out to me. And I’ll tell you everything. As soon as I’m done training, I’ll call you and we can meet up for coffee?” He threw in a pleading smile and his best effort at puppy-dog eyes.
“You look ridiculous,” said Becca. But Colin could sense a slight crack in her icy demeanor. “Fine. But if I don’t hear from you, I’m going to put such a hex on you that you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”
“You can do that?” said Colin.
“Try not calling me, and you’ll find out,” said Becca. She kissed him lightly on the cheek, smiled playfully, and turned and headed in the general direction of her house.
Colin turned and broke into a light jog away from the school. The weather was overcast and it looked like a fog would be settling in on the town overnight. Colin headed around the edge of downtown and jumped the low stone wall into one of the many farm fields that circled Elkwood’s township. The forest sat at the far edge of the field, looking ominous. From there the wooded area stretched north for miles. It was a perfect place for werewolves, as it provided cover and game for hunting. Colin had developed a taste for deer. He couldn’t help himself. In his werewolf form it felt so normal, the meat practically melted in his mouth. Only when he turned back to his human form did he become completely grossed out.
He reached the edge of the forest and sniffed the air. Only a faint scent of Silas. Colin entered the forest and listened, casting his hearing as wide as possible, which at his best guess was around half a mile when he was in his human form.
Insects. Birds. The rustle of trees. A stream. Nothing out of the ordinary. No other people as far as he could hear.
He quickly stripped down and stashed his clothes in his backpack and hung it on a tree branch. Colin thought wolfy thoughts and felt the change ripple through his body. It was still a slightly painful sensation. The first time he changed, it felt like he was rolling around in broken glass. Now it just felt like a bad sunburn. The transformation was so much quicker now; he could practically explode into his wolf form within seconds. Despite the pain, Colin enjoyed the sensation: the power surging through his body, the strength in his muscles increasing, his senses becoming so sharp that he could hear for miles and could practically see scents in the air.
Colin’s arms, legs, and muscles expanded, his head changed shape, and his teeth grew. The ground sank away from him as his body stretched and his powerful legs grew longer. Hair sprouted all over him, thick and coarse, covering his entire body. The transformation finished with claws sprouting from the tips of his massive wolf fingers. Colin stretched into his new form. The forest sprang to life, scents wafting in on the gentle breeze. He could smell Silas now, also in his wolf form.
Colin dropped to all fours and took off at a run through the forest, pounding the ground and propelling himself forward and through the trees. The world became a blurred rush as he easily covered two miles and skidded to a stop by the small stream that had become their usual meeting place. Silas said it was because of the distance from the town and that there was a stream for drinking, but Colin knew he’d really chosen this place because it was the location of Colin’s first change.
Werewolf sentimentality.
Took your time.
The old wolf stalked out of the tree line on the other side of the trees.
Not true. I know how much you like your alone time, wanted to give you an extra few minutes.
Silas barked a laugh.
The two massive creatures stalked each other in a wide circle. Colin was always on alert when they were both in wolf form—Silas had a habit of turning everything into a lesson.
So, why the last-minute training session?
Not a training session. I have some news.
I can tell from your tone that it’s not good news.
It’s not great. The Butcher is long gone, no trace of him.
Do you think these other wolves got him?
Maybe. Either way, that lead is dead.
That is bad news.
That’s not the bad news.
Colin felt a sinking feeling deep in his gut and his ears drooped a little. He stopped stalking and sat on his haunches. The scent of a distant deer tickled his nose but now was no time for food.
We’ve got a new lead. A confirmed kill by a werewolf.
But that’s good!
It’s in Europe.
Oh.
I’m leaving with Beta Team tonight. I’m guessing we’ll be gone a week. Maybe more, depending on how long it takes to track the group.
You think it’s a pack?
I do. They left obvious clues. It was a bit of a mess.
Other than him not being allowed to go along, Colin couldn’t figure out the bad news. And then it hit him.
The full moon starts in three days!
I know. You’re going to have to go it on your own.
Colin whimpered a little.
If a werewolf had enough control, they could change whenever they wanted. But the three days during a full moon, they can’t control the change. Once the sun goes down and the moon rises, they change regardless, every night for the three days. Since Colin’s transformation, he and Silas had headed deep into the northern-forested areas and camped for those three days. The full moon change was erratic. For Silas it was a walk in the park but for Colin, being a new werewolf, it was a struggle. His inner-wolf was never stronger than it was during a full moon.
I talked to Varson. He wanted to lock you up but I convinced him to give you the option. You can spend the nights locked up in a cell at the base, or you can head out camping by yourself.
But … what if I can’t control it? You’ve always been with me.
Silas stood on two legs, walked over to Colin, and placed a large, hairy, clawed hand on his head.
Colin, you have so much more control than I had when I was first turned. If you choose to camp, I think you’ll be fine. Keep to the forest. You can do it; I have faith in you.
I don’t know.
A couple of days ago Colin would have been fine with the arrangement. Since the Seattle incident, he wasn’t quite as confident.
Think about it. I have to go. I’ve got rogue werewolves to catch.
There was a sparkle in Silas’s eyes during that last thought. Keeping the order and hunting bad werewolves had been his entire mission for the last couple hundred years. It’s what made him happy. Colin had suggested Silas get a hobby, but the old man just laughed and replied that he already had one.
Be careful, Silas
Always.
The two wolves touched noses. Two humans doing that would seem weird, but as werewolves, it felt right, like a handshake or a hearty hug.
Silas turned and raced off into the forest.
Colin felt a pang of sadness as he watched his mentor disappear into the dark trees. He had hoped to ask Silas about Principal Sampson and if there was any reason why he wouldn’t able to smell him or hear a heartbeat, but something had held him back. Silas didn’t believe him about the floating man in Seattle, and that made Colin think his claims that the new school principal had no scent and no heartbeat would be dismissed just as quickly.
I’m not going crazy.
He’d just have to figure out that mystery by himself.
Colin’s stomach grumbled and the smell of deer came back to him again. His ears perked up and he stretched his muscles before launching off into the forest to follow the scent. He had only one thought in his mind.
Dinnertime!
***
Two hours later, the fog had settled comfortably over the town, darkness was beginning to fall, and rain floated down in a fine mist as Colin entered Elkwood’s only coffee shop. Becca was already at the coffee bar ordering a drink for herself and a hot chocolate for Colin. She turned and waved.
She looked beautiful. Her hair was tied back, and she wore a woolen sweater, fingerless gloves, a skirt and tights. All black, naturally.
The smell of freshly ground coffee beans gave Colin a bit of a headache. Three girls from school, all a little younger than Colin, congregated at a table in the corner. They took turns looking over at Colin and then would talk quickly then laugh in that weird way girls do. Girls confused Colin. Even having an actual girlfriend didn’t help very much in that respect. They were still beyond any sort of reason or logic.
Given the choice between hunting dangerous, murdering werewolves and figuring out girls, Colin would choose the werewolves. Far less scary.
He casually listened to the girls’ conversation while Becca waited by the coffee bar for their drinks.
“Ohmygod! That’s Colin Strauss,” said one.
“He’s so hot!” said another.
“I don’t see it,” said the third.
“Oh please, Patricia! Like you don’t see it. That hair!”
“And that body! He works out. He has to.”
Their tones quickly shifted to disgust.
“I can’t believe he’s dating that Emerson girl.”
“What does he see in her?”
“I guess he likes that pale, sickly look.”
“Eavesdropping?” Becca said as she handed him his hot chocolate. She stood in front of him, smiling.
“What? Me? Innocent little me? Of course not,” said Colin.
“They’re making fun of me, aren’t they?”
“Whhaattt?” said Colin with as little sincerity as possible.
“They’re just jealous,” Becca said, and shrugged. She glanced over at the three girls, who were hiding their giggling faces behind coffee cups. Colin watched as Becca placed the tip of her finger in her own coffee and whispered a few words, though he had no idea what she said. It sounded like a different language, maybe Latin. Colin felt a slight shift in the air.
One of the girls at the table let out a scream and dropped her coffee on the table, spilling it. The other two looked shocked and then did the same thing. All three jumped away from the table.
“That coffee is burning hot!” shrieked one of the girls.
Becca licked the coffee from her finger, took Colin’s hand, and led him out of the coffee shop, a devious little sparkle in her eyes.
“You did that,” said Colin. It wasn’t a question. He’d seen Becca work magic before. She’d brought him back to life once. She’d made some objects float. And one time she’d created a glowing ball of fire. Colin’s grandmother was training Becca, though he rarely saw them together so he wasn’t entirely sure how they were doing it. It seemed Becca’s magic continually got stronger and stronger. The only bit of information Colin had managed to get out of his grandmother was that each witch’s powers differed slightly. While his grandmother used the elements, Becca’s power was firmly rooted in her ability to touch things. Tactile Magic she called it.
They headed down the block, around a corner, and into a dark alleyway. Colin unlocked the back door to his grandfather’s old automotive garage. It smelled of old cigarettes, motor oil, and dust. Colin’s hearing also picked up a rodent living somewhere in the walls. This is where Colin and Becca came to be alone, when they wanted to talk away from anyone who might want to listen in.
They sat down together on the comfy couch at the back of the workshop. Colin wanted to kiss her. He always did. He couldn’t think of a time that he didn’t want to kiss her. He was sure there would come a time when he didn’t want to kiss her, but that time had not yet occurred.
“So, Seattle,” said Becca. “Spill.”
“We’re just going to get right to the point then?” Colin said, keenly aware that kissing wasn’t on the immediate agenda.
Becca pursed her lips and waited patiently.
“Okay, okay,” said Colin. He recounted the whole story from start to finish: their arrival in Seattle, tracking the Butcher, Silas getting wounded, Colin’s pursuit, the floating man, the change, no one believing him, the whole sordid affair. He finished with, “And now I’m grounded from Night Watch until Silas can convince them I’m safe to go into the outside world.”
Becca studied her coffee thoughtfully.
She doesn’t believe me.
“I do believe you. And try not to think so loud,” said Becca.
“Sorry.” Colin’s werewolf abilities allowed him to project his thoughts into certain people’s mind. Some people were more receptive than others. Becca, being a witch, picked his thoughts up easily unless he kept them guarded. It wasn’t difficult to do; Silas had taught him how. He just got lazy sometimes. He was a teenager, after all.
“When you lost control of your senses in Seattle, was the sensation similar to when you saw Principal Sampson today?”
Colin thought about it. It wasn’t exactly the same. But there were some similarities.
“In Seattle, it felt like the floating man was blocking my senses. Like I’d been cut off. With Principal Sampson it was as if I couldn’t sense him at all. Like he wasn’t even there.”
Becca wrinkled up her nose. Colin had noticed it was a habit of hers when she wasn’t happy with something.
“It’s not exactly the same but you have to admit, they are similar,” said Becca.
“You think the two are related?”
“What did the floating man look like?”
“He was young, maybe in his mid-twenties. Ruggedly handsome, if you like that sort of thing.” Colin smiled.
“Oh, you know me. I prefer the tall, hairy types.”
“He definitely didn’t look anything like Principal Sampson. I meant to ask Silas about it but he’s gone out of town.”
“I know, my Dad shipped out too. I heard they took most of the soldiers. It’s a big mission.”
Colin felt a stab of regret. He should be going with them. If things had happened differently in Seattle, he could have been off to Europe to hunt evil werewolves too.
“Then I guess it’s up to you and me,” said Becca.
“What? What is?”
“We need to figure out what the deal is with Principal Sampson.”
They left the garage and Colin walked Becca to the eastern edge of downtown. Becca lived in a stately farmhouse on the outskirts. Colin felt even more regret that tonight had featured no further kissing.
“I can still hear your thoughts,” said Becca.
“Aww, man. I really need to keep control of that,” said Colin, his face flushing with embarrassment.
“It’s okay. I like kissing you too. I was thinking … ”
Becca’s scent had shifted. She smelled nervous all of a sudden.
Oh man, this is it. She’s going to break up with me. I knew it, stupid, stupid, stupid—
“I heard,” said Becca, “that you’re going to be doing your monthly camping trip solo?”
“Oh, that! Oh man, yes, that I’m doing.” Colin breathed a sigh of relief.
Becca gave him a weird look. “Okay, well, I was thinking if you wanted some company, I could probably camp out there with you? Separate tents, obviously. And we could even bring Jeremy.”
A hundred thoughts raced through Colin’s mind. First, camp out together. Nighttime. Alone, sort of. What about his nightly werewolf transformations? What if he couldn’t keep control? He wasn’t even sure he was going to go camping alone; he still considered just getting locked up at the base. But now, with Becca’s suggestion … ?
Becca seemed to sense Colin’s confusion. “You don’t have to decide now,” said Becca. “Just think about it, okay?”
Colin nodded while his head spun.
Becca stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the lips, then turned and walked away. Colin listened to her footsteps disappear into the quiet of the night.
How would that even work? Jeremy would see me turn into a werewolf. What happens if I eat Jeremy? What happens if I eat Becca?
Colin headed back through downtown and took the main road out of Elkwood toward his house. It was after nine o’clock and the road was deserted. His werewolf senses wandered, almost on their own, while Colin was caught up in his own thoughts. He caught smells on the gentle breeze and the occasional snippet of conversation from somewhere nearby.
And then Colin felt it. It was like a creeping sensation that ran through his whole body. Something didn’t smell right, and the sounds of the night kept fading in and out, like someone was turning the volume up and down. He started to panic and his heart rate increased.
Oh no! Not again!
He felt the atmosphere shift, the same way it did before it rained. The air felt heavy and Colin’s whole body began to tingle.
The fog was dense with only the occasional streetlight shining through here and there. But Colin didn’t need the light; he could see just fine at night. There was nothing unusual around. His head swam and he began to reach for the wolf inside.
Colin’s senses snapped back and he could instantly hear normally again.
What is wrong with me?
Frustrated, Colin turned to continue home, resolving to write down everything that had happened, and almost ran straight into Principal Sampson.
“Oh my!” said Principal Sampson.
“Oh, uh, ah, hi.” Colin was at a loss for words.
The jolly little man beamed at him. “Mr. Strauss, isn’t it?”
“Uh, yeah,” said Colin. He couldn’t smell the man at all, and he hadn’t heard him approach.
How is that even possible?
He looked exactly as he had earlier at the school when Varson introduced him. Same suit, same red cheeks, same bald head.
“Oh good, excellent,” said Principal Sampson, slowly edging his way around Colin as if he was deathly afraid of being touched. “I was just out for a nighttime walk, getting the lay of the land.” He chuckled. “I look forward to seeing more of you at school! Have a good night, young sir!”
Colin watched as the new school principal walked back toward town and disappeared into the fog.
Fear crawled down Colin’s spine.
This can’t all be a coincidence!
First Seattle, then the new principal shows up, then tonight’s weird events, and he’s here again.
No heartbeat. And the man gave off no scent. Most disturbingly, his footsteps made absolutely no sound.
It was as if he weren’t there at all.
Principal Sampson wasn’t human. And he wasn’t the same as any of the other freaks in Elkwood. Which raised one very disturbing question …
Who, or what, is Principal Sampson?